


In Those Realities

by Kataly_Malfoy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: End Game Spoilers, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Tony Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 01:03:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18680956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kataly_Malfoy/pseuds/Kataly_Malfoy
Summary: Stephen and Pepper hoped that Tony could survive this, for one last time.





	In Those Realities

**Author's Note:**

> Endgame Spoilers.
> 
> Also English isn't my language, so I'm sorry about mistakes ahead.

Stephen panicked as seeing Tony snapped his fingers. Idiot!

When he held one finger to Tony, Stephen didn’t mean some ‘one way to be’ fucking stuff. He just wanted Tony to rip off one stone from the gauntlet, anyone! Disabling that fucking gauntlet!

And yet... yet this idiot sacrificed himself. He was going to die.

Stephen stunned for a moment. His world just stopped right after the snap. And then, he rushed.

He half ran half flew over to Tony, thanks to the Cloak, and landed right next to Pepper. She was crying and smiling, whispering something to Tony. Stephen’s heart ached as seeing this.

He had watched over 14 million realities for one outcome which they won, and Tony still alive. Not this one. Because Tony had chosen another way out, making this timeline slipped out of the one which Stephen had expected.

Any choice could affect reality. That was where Stephen realized he also had a choice, for this time.

He could not let Tony die. Stephen could not let someone who he had come to know and respect and love for over 14 million times die. He could not and would not.

Stephen grabbed the Reality Stone and it felt like burn to his skin, though magic inside him ran wild to protect him from radiation. Stephen just had to be stronger to hold it with his bare hand, to brace himself in front of its power.

And then Pepper took his other hand in hers. Stephen looked at her. Her face twisted in so many emotions, most parts were fear and sorrow but still had some hope and plea.

She trusted him. She was counting on him.

He could not let her down. In those 14 million futures he had seen, her presence always meaning happiness to Tony. And to Stephen as well. Her smile was the guarantee for all thing better.

Stephen would like to make her smile.

So he focused on the stone, paid no attention to people surrounding him even now they gathered together, holding each other hands, making a living chain and sharing one wish with him. Sharing the frightening power from the stone with him, made him felt easier, made him felt that it could work.

Pepper squeezed Stephen’s hand, eyes shut, praying for the best outcome.

Praying for the survival of Tony Stark. For one last time.

And then everything came red.

 

This was odd to wake up by the familiar smell of a hospital when you supposed to be dead. Oh, hospital, huh?

Tony cracked his eyes open. His vision was still a blur until he could spot two figures sat near his bed. Pepper and Stephen.

They hadn’t noticed he was awake yet. Stephen seemed exhausted, drifting in and out of sleep. Pepper stayed beside him, one hand stroking Morgan’s hair while her daughter curling on their lap.

His lips curled up to a smile at that scene. Nothing better than seeing his loved ones be safe and sound like this.

Tony had hated the sorcerer at first, for many reasons. For their failure, for Peter’s death, for the guilt which Tony would have for the rest of his life. But then he got five years. Five wonderful years with Pepper and Morgan.

Tony didn’t remember when he had stopped hating Stephen. He just knew that during those years, sometimes he had come to the Sanctum to know more about the sorcerer, to find out why Stephen saving him.

What he had found was the sympathy between his life and Stephen’s. The respect for someone who was so strong and clever and brave. The fondness for someone who eventually took place in his heart.

Tony remembered his wife always smiled every time he mentioned Stephen. “He’s good for you,” she had said. “You like him.” No blame, nor anger. Just a state. Pepper knew him so well, so she accepted that.

Now Tony could see a better part of it: Pepper could know more about Stephen too, especially when the sorcerer was here with them in person, not in stories from Wong.

Pepper would love Stephen, Tony knew it. He was seeing the first sign of it: the other hand of Pepper was in Stephen’s, meaning support, trust and caring.

It would be confusing to explain this to Morgan, but he would manage that. His little girl would have another protector who definitely adored her with an arm curling around her protectively.

Stephen would be a part of his family, soon. Tony expected that so much.

And then, with the body still exhausted from the last battle, he took that beautiful scenario into another dream.


End file.
